olswang berlinAnd Olswang’s exodus broadens in scope.  On the heels of last week’s news that thirteen equity partners (primarily Corporate M&A and Finance) are leaving the firm’s Berlin office, Olswang announced that in fact the entire office is engaged in discussions to move.  More than fifty attorneys are in talks with a number of international law firms, including Morrison & Foerster (“MoFo”) and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Last Friday, Olswang confirmed  that the thirteen Berlin-based partners would  leave ‘by agreement later in the year, along with their colleagues’ and that it is expecting to suffer a drop in revenues.

As reported in Legal Business, “it has emerged however that all of the office’s lawyers are in talks with several law firms that could offer a strong international platform, including MoFo and Freshfields, to move collectively. A spokesperson for MoFo refused to comment while Freshfields did not return requests for comment. Other US firms are also in talks with the Berlin office but initial speculation that the group would launch as a boutique is understood to be false.”

Whatever the resolution of this seismic shift within Olswang, the prestige of the talent at stake is without question.  Upon Olswang’s opening of the Berlin office eight years ago, the firm built its team with hires from Linklaters and Freshfields, a move which included its current managing partner in Germany, Christian Schede.

The departures are related to unrest stemming from the London office, including the unexpected departure of former managing partner David Stewart last autumn.